Opening Chords: James' Story
by Catherine Chen
Summary: True love. The first story in my series mixing themes of fairytales, vampires, soulmates, and music. Please enjoy. And of course, PLEASE REVIEW! It's meant to be fun not the best literature in the world. But I do know how to spell.
1. A Midnight Visitor

I know I should be working on what you want me to, but I couldn't help myself

I know I should be working on what you want me to, but I couldn't help myself. I wrote this yesterday and have only now decided to type it.

--

It is 6am this time. I haven't slept the entire night. What better to do than to write another story? This time I'll start with being unable to sleep. Brilliant! Sometimes I even amaze myself (sarcasm). This girl is normal though so it's the middle of the night.

--

This was not working. She didn't care if she was supposed to be asleep. She couldn't just will herself to be asleep. That was ridiculous. You couldn't will yourself to lose consciousness because the very act of willing yourself to do something would require you to be awake.

Ugh. Her ribs and the front of her legs felt like they were being crushed as they were pressed up against the bed.

Plop.

Plop.

Plop. Plop. Plop. Plop.

_Great. Now it's raining. Of course I'll be able to get to sleep now. Not._

The pressure on her ribs was making her feel nauseous. She pushed herself up and headed for the kitchen to get a glass of water. She somehow managed to make her way to the kitchen in the dark but the water did nothing to help her stomach or make her feel tired. _Why did I think it would? Did anyone ever say water does any of those things? Note to self: Do not make important decisions in the middle of the night because you don't know what you're doing. P.S. Stop talking to yourself in your head. Just because no one can hear you, doesn't mean it isn't strange._

She wandered back to bed. Her eyes stung a little and she really wanted to be asleep now. Maybe that would be enough. She tried to yawn. It worked but she still wasn't asleep. _Well that was a brilliant plan, got any other ideas? Shut up. _**Maybe you should try counting sheep.**

She sat up. A deep, masculine voice had spoken those words but she was sure they had come from inside her head. It was fine when she was talking to herself, but another voice..._Maybe I am going crazy..._**You're not.**

There it was again. She scanned the room to see a man standing in one corner. It was dark, but her eyes had long adjusted. He was very tall, both in comparison to her in her propped up position on the bed and to her small stature in general. She was fairly sure he was dressed in black for though it was dark, he blended into the shadows unnaturally well. Glancing at her own light peach nightgown which stood out slightly in the dark she was further convinced of it. She couldn't see his eyes or tell what color they were but she felt certain that he was staring at her. She could almost feel his eyes penetrating her skin.

That thought jolted her back to the present. She remembered that she was in a skimpy nightgown in her bedroom with a strange man who had somehow gotten into her house in the last ten minutes. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind, the primary ones being "Oh, God, I'm going to die" and "I wonder if he's attractive." _Yup. She was a lunatic. No rational person would just sit there and..._

This time he spoke the words out loud. "Don't worry. I would never hurt you. As to my appearance...well, I'll let you be the judge of that." He began to make his towards her somehow moving almost silently and rather gracefully despite his size.

_Run, damn it! What's wrong with you? _But her body refused to move. Part of her was in shock. The other part was insanely curious to find out what he looked like.


	2. Lust At First Sight or Secret Revealed

Yes, this is very indulgent. Yes, my vampire is stereotypical. Oh well. I like it. Please Read and Review.

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He stopped right in front of her. He was close enough that she could reach out and touch him. _Not that she would..._

"Why not? I can assure you, I would not mind." His voice slid over her like silk, both chilling her and comforting her and effectively stealing her breath away.

She couldn't will herself to respond and knew even if she did she wouldn't be able to manage anything intelligent. She had been entranced by his lips as he spoke but wished that she could actually see his face clearly.

"Whatever you wish, my dear," he said, bending down so that his face was only inches from her own.

_Oh, dear Lord. He was beautiful. No, that wasn't right. His face was all hard planes and angles. It was too masculine to be referred to as beautiful. The lips smiling down at her softened his countenance, making her feel somewhat less intimidated. And his eyes, they were so dark. Her eyes were a dark chocolate brown, but his actually seemed to be black. That wasn't possible, was it?_

He chuckled. "You're adorable, you know that?" His hair fell over his eyes and he tossed his head to shake it back in place. It put her black locks to shame.

"Not true, sweetheart. Your hair is like black silk," he murmured, lifting a section and rubbing it gently.

"What...what are you doing in my room?" she asked after what seemed like an eternity.

"It's raining outside, darling. I assumed no one was home and I needed a place to rest. As the window was open, it seemed a better alternative to trying to fly somewhere else in this storm."

"Fly?" she queried, already suspecting what his answer would be but unable to process such a possibility.

"Why, love, I'm a vampire."


	3. Love's First Kiss and Once Upon a Dream

OK

OK. Mystery revealed. I do not own the Disney characters you are about to read about or the song lyrics. Also, too tired to go look them up so I'm sorry if they're not exact.

--

Her lips felt dry. She licked them unconsciously but before she could say anything his lips descended on hers. His arms were braced on either side of her, supporting his weight and simultaneously blocking out everything but his kiss. His scent surrounded her.

_You smell wonderful, too, ma belle. Comme les fleurs. J'aime ton parfum._

_Well as long as you can hear my thoughts and I don't have to stop kissing you to speak...I'm not wearing perfume._ She moaned as his tongue rubbed against hers causing an odd fluttery feeling in her stomach.

_You understand French?_ He groaned as she simultaneously cupped his buttocks to pull him closer, and arched up, trying to move herself closer to him.

_I took French in school._

_You're making me crazy. I want you so much._

_What other languages do you speak?_

_Italian, Russian, German, Gaelic, Mandarin...more, I can't remember right now. Is it important?_

His head was buried in her neck, kissing it so passionately that she felt a little delirious. No, she didn't really think it mattered very much at all. "Mmmhmmm...," she moaned as he licked her neck lightly as he began to inch her nightgown up her legs.

"Oh...oh...wait!" she sat up suddenly.

"What is it?" his eyes had darkened even further and the husky note in his voice almost distracted her.

"I...I don't even know you're name. You don't know mine. We can't just...you're a stranger. I've never met you until tonight...I've never even seen you before..."

"That's not true, darling. We've met before...in another life...in a dream. Our connection is too strong to be explained otherwise."

"You...that's ridiculous. Don't give me than "Once Upon A Dream" crap?"

He stared at her blankly.

"You know, Sleeping Beauty? The Disney version?"

"Ohhh," he murmured comprehending. He began to hum the song.

"You...you know it?" she asked, slightly shocked.

"Well, I've seen the film if that's what you mean. I'm reading your mind though to remember the tune." He began to sing. "I know you. I've walked with you once upon a dream. I know you. That gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam. Yes I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem. But if I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love me at once. The way you did once upon a dream."

She had been entranced by his eyes and his deep voice singing rather exceptionally well and hadn't realized she had joined him in duet. She shook off the remnants of her entrancement. "Yes, so don't try that with me. I won't stand for it. I..."

"You're frightened. You're a virgin," he stated shocked.

"Yes," she replied blushing furiously. _Damn him, she couldn't very well control her speech __and__ her thoughts._

"Oh, sweetheart, I didn't realize. I guess I got carried away with...emotion."

"And what emotion would that be?" she asked archly.

"Passion...lust...love."

She scoffed. "Don't give me that..." She broke off. He suddenly looked worried. "What is it?"

"Um...," it was amusing to see him at a loss for words, "darling, how old are you?"

"Twenty-five."

"Thank god."

"Why?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Well, it's not so common now for women to remain chaste nowadays. I was afraid you might have been younger," looking sheepish.

"Well, I'm not."

"I realize that now..." he murmured, trailing off as he gazed into her eyes. He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and leaned down again...

--

OK. That's all for now. Sorry. Must sleep. Probably won't. I can at least try.


	4. Not a Fairytale

Although the response to this was not as great as the response to the stories I placed in more popular categories, I've decided to continue for my own enjoyment

Although the response to this was not as great as the response to the stories I placed in more popular categories, I've decided to continue for my own enjoyment. Hopefully, anyone out there who enjoyed this so far will like this new chapter.

--

As his lips settled over hers she felt an odd sense of rightness about it. Her eyelids drifted shut almost instantly and her body relaxed at the pressure of his. She had dreamed about meeting someone like him. She obviously didn't believe his story. _Past lives and meeting in dreams. That's all ridiculous. _

_Is it? asked the voice. You've always believed in that sort of thing. Tarot and horoscopes and the supernatural and–_

She clamped an imaginary hand over her voice's mouth as she gave herself up to his kiss completely. It was so easy to let him take control. She just had this feeling that he would protect her and obviously he had more experience than she did. He would know what to do…_I wonder just how many women he's been with…_**Now, darling, I would have thought such unworthy musings would be beyond you. You're not jealous, are you?**

His voice broke through the fog that seemed to envelope her when he touched her. "Why shouldn't I be? How," she cleared the throat which suddenly felt a little dry, "how old are you?"

"Older than twenty-five," he said evasively.

"When did you die?" she asked instead.

"When I was twenty-seven," he responded, purposely mistaking her meaning.

"You know what I meant," she said seriously, saying nothing else, knowing that he would not lie to her.

"1120," he said somewhat quietly.

"Mmn-hmn, and how many women have there been?" she paused to hear his answer. "Well?" she prompted.

"It's not important, sweetheart," he took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. "They meant nothing to me…I was just passing the time, waiting for you," he murmured, smiling charmingly so that she could see a dimple appear in his cheek.

"It's important to me. I think you should be going now," she said quietly, but firmly.

"Darling, you can't hold it against me. I never knew I'd have to wait so long to find you…I…" he broke off at the look in her eyes.

"The rain has stopped," she stated, her point clearly that he had no reason to stay.

"I won't let you go, not now that I've found you. I'll return tomorrow," he promised as he swept out of the room. Moments later she sensed that he had left and for some reason she felt a little colder. She snuggled down under the comforter and finally fell asleep.

--

Yes, not very romantic. I know, but we must get these things out of the way first. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this, but if the response is good, you should look for a new installment soon.


	5. Back to Reality

Yeah

Yeah...where am I going from here? Psh...like I know. Anyway, we could just jump into their next meeting. Or, we could go visit her at her job? What was that? I knew it. Boring job it is...

--

She couldn't seem to focus on the screen. She couldn't blame Susanna Hoff's rendition of Different Drum. She couldn't blame the work she usually loved. It was him. She couldn't get the thought of him out of her head. She had spent the morning brushing her teeth, taking a shower, and wondering if he had been real. She had spent breakfast pouring milk, eating strawberries, and wondering if he would really be back tonight. Now as she was supposed to be writing an article on why heels were classic and flats were just a fad, she couldn't come up with anything.

She switched back to the article entitled, "Letting Him Make the First Move". God, Maria had a twisted sense of humor. Editor of the magazine and close friend, she knew that Jane had never had a first date let alone any sort of relationship yet she was stuck writing both the fashion opinion pieces and the relationship advice article.

This was pointless. She walked down the hall. "Hey, Maria, I'm going to take an early lunch. I'm not going to get anything done just staring at the computer."

"Whatever," came a voice from under the desk, "it's not we're going to print tomorrow. We've still got weeks."

Jane smirked. "We can discuss your managing policy later. Right now, I just need to get out of here".

"Hey, wait up! I just need to...ha!" Maria stood up triumphantly clutching a tube of lip gloss.

"That was why you were under there?" said Jane disbelievingly.

"Yeah, what'd you think?" asked Maria with an eyebrow raised. "Don't tell me you thought I was engaged in an office rendezvous?"

"No, of course not," said Jane. "That's completely unlike you. You would never...not in a public place...such as a beach, a parking lot, a library..." she trailed off, biting her lip not to laugh.

"Oh, fine. I'm being lectured to by the virgin. Just wait until you find someone. You'll see what its like," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

At that they both burst into laughter. "Just let me grab my coat. We can go to that place around the corner."

Jane raised her own eyebrow in query. "You mean the one with cute waiter?"

"Oh, so you did think he was attractive".

In response Jane pushed through the door of the office.

They were both still laughing as they stepped outside and began to make their way to the restaurant.

--

Hopefully we like her name. It can be changed. I'm OK with it for now. I know some of you may be missing "vampire". (By the way, name suggestions would be appreciated.) The thing is, a girl's life can't just revolve around a man. Don't worry. He won't be gone for long. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Much love, Cat.


	6. Plans or does chp name matter?

Oh, hell

Oh, hell. You've been so nice reviewing. I'll try and write something.

--

Jane looked up from the menu. "I will have the chicken Caesar salad."

The waitress scribbled down the order and looked at Maria. "And for you, miss?"

"I'll have the salmon."

"Great. OK. I'll be back with your orders in a moment," said the waitress as she clacked away on her four-inch heels.

"So...spill. Who's the guy?" asked Maria archly as she sipped her water.

"What guy?" replied Jane evasively. "What makes you think there's a guy?"

"OK. First of all, there's always a guy. Second of all, that's the only reason you've ever had to not be able to write."

"There are other reasons. Sometimes I worry about things I have to do. Sometimes I feel sick. Sometimes I am simply suffused with an irrepressible feeling of ennui," declared Jane theatrically.

"Oh, come off it. You know you want to tell me..." prompted Maria.

"Alright, but you're going to think I'm crazy."

"I already _know_ you're crazy."

"A vampire came into my bedroom last night and told me we were soulmates." Jane took a sip from her own glass of water. "He said he'd be back tonight. Do you want to come over and meet him?"

"Damn it, Jane. That's not funny."

"I'm not joking."

"You can't be serious," said Maria narrowing her eyes.

"I'm very serious."

"Oh, well what was his name?" Maria mocked.

"I don't know, he didn't tell me," replied Jane honestly. Really she should have worked harder to find out more about him.

"How very convenient."

"Are you saying you don't believe me?" said Jane, not really hurt as she had already predicted that would be the case.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"I'm rather offended," pretended Jane, pouting.

"Don't tell me you expect me to believe...a vampire..."

"Come by tonight. We can rent some movies and see if he was telling the truth."

"I'm not saying I believe you...but you know I'm a sucker for popcorn and romantic movies. Same as always, you get the movies, I get the popcorn?" asked Maria as their meals came.

"You know it. I can't believe I let you talk me into watching "In Her Shoes" last time." As she forked some lettuce and a piece of chicken, Jane had the feeling that she was being watched. It didn't make her uncomfortable, quite the opposite. She had the sense that someone was watching over her. She glanced around but the other people in the restaurant were all occupied with their own meals and conversations.

--

YAY! OK, if you didn't guess, that was him. More on that later. New chapter to come eventually. Must figure out how to work this out. Update though: I have figured out what we can call him. YAY!


	7. Clock Strikes Twelve

Writing again in the middle of the night. Thanks for hanging in there loyal readers. PLEASE REVIEW!!

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"I still can't believe that was voted one of the worst lines in movie history. 'A bird may love a fish, monsieur, but where would they live?' It makes perfect sense to me. I especially like when he says next 'then I shall have to build you wings.'" Jane sipped her glass of Diet Coke and set it back on the table.

"Well, not everyone can appreciate the genius that is Drew Barrymore as Cinderella and Dougray Scott as her prince," noted Maria as she tossed a piece of popcorn into the air and caught it in her mouth.

"No. I suppose not. What did you think of _Penelope_?" asked Jane, referring to the movie they had watched before _Ever After_.

"I thought it was alright. Not much in the way of a modern-day fairytale, but Christina Ricci and James McAvoy were great together. He's dreamy. Maybe we should rent _Atonement_," suggested Maria.

"I don't think so. I read the synopsis on Wikipedia. It sounds rather ridiculous."

"Oh, well, if you're basing your opinion off Wikipedia..."

"Do what you want, I'm not watching it with you, though."

"Fine," said Maria in defeat. "You know it's almost twelve and he hasn't shown up yet. I know we don't have work tomorrow, but maybe I should be heading back to my apartment."

"You live ten minutes away from here by car. Just wait the three minutes until twelve and then we'll give him another fifteen to be on the safe side."

Maria stared at her for a moment. "You really like this guy, don't you?"

"I...I hardly know him," Jane protested.

"That doesn't have anything to do with liking him. I'm going to head to the bathroom. Tell him to wait if he gets here," she said with a wink.

"Hmph." Jane leaned back against the couch. _Maybe I did just dream him up._

**You didn't dream me up, darling.**

Jane bolted up, her eyes drifting to the clock. Twelve. Her eyes darted around the room, trying to find him.

"I'm right here, sweetheart," he murmured, seemingly appearing out of nowhere next to her on the couch. He cupped her jaw with one hand and brought his head down to her lips. The kiss started off slow and gentle as though he were savoring the taste of her. When he slid his tongue against her lips she gladly parted them for him. He took possession of her mouth, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. Such a movement which should at least be awkward if not painful was anything but. She seemed almost to glide into his lap. He tightened his arms around her and with her own arms around his neck she imagined she could feel his heart beating against her chest.

She could sense the desire building in his tensed body and the tightened muscles jumping under her touch. Her own body seemed to have liquefied. She felt very soft and feminine in comparison to his rigid masculinity. She moaned as his hand slid over her chest and gently teased her body to life.

She opened her eyes to protest the removal of his hand a moment later when she saw what had caused him to stop.

"Holy shit."

"Well, Maria. I told you he was real."

--

I know it's rather short. I had to cut it off before venturing into M territory. I will eventually be changing the rating and we can progress, but I am waiting to see if I can gather some readers who will follow me into M territory. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. I am vaguely considering just deleting this story or ceasing my writing. I do need to work on the more read pieces. But, anyway, you know I love you. Much love, Cat.


	8. Ten Minutes Ago

Well, my lovelies. I see you have returned to join me for another installment of Halloween Monster Theater. I will be your host, Morticia...Alright, then. If I did not scare you off with my insanity, you must have realized it's still me. I'm sorry I haven't updated yet. I've been busy with school and feeling a little depressed (and angry), which you can read in my recent updates to my other stories, after being rejected by the drama club. Anyway, I'm not quite ready to head into M territory yet. Now, we need to be getting the plot moving along...

--

"Christ."

"James, actually." He got up and took Maria's hand from where it hung loosely at her side and bowed over it charmingly. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance," he murmured before taking his place back on the couch beside Jane.

"Your teeth...are they real?" asked Maria.

"Quite," he replied, tugging at one of the two slightly larger and much sharper teeth in his mouth.

"Funny, I've always pictured them as more like fangs."

"A common misconception. Some vampires do have such teeth but not all. Otherwise we'd never be able to blend into society," pointed out James as he slid an arm around Jane's shoulders.

"Well," said Maria. "It was nice to meet you, but I have to be going now. Maybe we can meet again sometime and I can find out a bit more about the man who's got my friend so enthralled she can't write."

Before Jane could protest, Maria had grabbed her purse and rushed out the door, eager to give the two lovebirds some time alone.

"You came," said Jane softly.

"Did you think I wouldn't?" he asked as he leaned down to kiss her gently.

Her arms automatically wrapped themselves around his neck as she gave in to his kiss. She lightly caressed the hair at the nape of his neck as his hands began to wander over her body.

"Wait," she said, breaking away from him.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I...nothing has changed."

"You're right," he agreed. "I am still in love with you. You still have feelings for me. We are both still attracted to each other and very much physically compatible. Nothing has changed."

She glared at him. "You know that isn't what I meant. I don't know anything about you. I just learned your name a few minutes ago. I..."

"Ten," he interrupted.

"...haven't the slightest idea how this would work. I...ten what?"

"Ten minutes ago, to be precise," he stated simply. _"Ten minutes ago, I met you. You looked up when I came through the door. My head started reeling. You gave me the feeling the room had no ceiling or floor_."

"Stop that. You sing too well. It distracts me."

He sighed. "Things don't have to be difficult, darling. We obviously have feelings for each other. Why not explore them, act upon them? Stop thinking so much. Just kiss me..."

She stared into his dark eyes, feeling herself drowning in their depths. "What the hell," she murmured as she flung herself into his arms.

--

Very short, I know. I'm sorry about that. Hey, it's an update. Besides, I keep the chapters much shorter in this than I do in my other stories. I also tend to update sooner, I think. By the by, if anyone can figure out what song that is without looking it up, I love you. You are awesome and you get an imaginary cookie. I will update as soon as I figure out where I want to go with this and come up with more of a plot. Much love, Cat.


	9. Giving into Temptation?

What has happened so far? Quick recap: 

He stopped in her house on a rainy night. He's a vampire. They both have dark hair and dark eyes. He kissed her. He sings well. She's a virgin. He kissed her for a second time. She's jealous of the women in his past. He died when he was 27 in 1120. She works at a magazine. The editor is her slightly promiscuous friend Maria. He watched Jane while she was having lunch. Maria and Jane watched movies. He came back at 12 and kissed her for a third time. He met Maria. His name is James. She just flung herself into his arms.

Wait, what? She just flung herself into his arms? Why the hell am I bothering with a recap then?

--

_Opportunities like this didn't come along everyday. Guys weren't exactly banging on her door. Certainly none had ever said that they loved her. Why not give in to temptation? _She threaded her hands through his thick, dark hair, loving the way it curled around her fingers. She rubbed his tongue with hers, eliciting a deep groan from him. This time, for once, she was determined to be in control of the kiss.

He let her be. His attention had turned to more important matters. He was slowly sliding her blouse up her stomach, over her chest…

She broke away from the kiss to pull the shirt over her head and toss it across the room.

His eyes gleamed down at her. She had never loved her body but seeing the lustful look in his eyes, she felt beautiful. Before he could do as he clearly wished and expose more of her to his gaze she arched up and kissed him again. He quickly responded and she took advantage of the diversion to tear at his jacket.

Frustrated that she was so easily distracted from their embrace, he leaned back and disposed of the offending garment himself. While he was at it he ripped off his shirt and sent it across the room to join hers. He leaned back down to kiss her again but was stopped by her hands which were pushing against his chest. "What's wrong?" he asked, dearly hoping she wasn't planning on calling a halt to their lovemaking.

Some of his desperation and frustration must have shown on his face because she laughed up at him. "I just wanted to look at you, that's all," she reassured him.

Relieved he lay back against the couch. "Look your fill".

She did. His chest was a work of true masculine beauty. Well defined muscles, firm and unyielding to the touch. Yet his skin was soft. A line of hair tapered down from his flat stomach to the waistband of his pants. She gulped.

He reached out and took her chin in his hand, tilting her face to his. "We don't have to do this," he said, despite the clamoring of his body to be done with it and ravish her now before she changed her mind.

_She had always wanted her first time to be special. The passion she had always dreamed of was there with him. But the setting…_**We don't have to do it here.**

"Where then?"

"Would you like to see my home?"

--

Denied again. So sorry. It just didn't feel right. We're getting there though. Slowly. Agonizingly slowly. Just hang in there a little longer.

Much love, Cat


	10. And Away to His Castle We'll Go

We're winding down here, guys. This story is getting far too long and it's not going anywhere. This is not the end. When I do end it though, there will be a nice little resolution. If it isn't enough for you, I might write a sequel. Anyway, on to what I was doing before I was so rudely interrupted by my own thoughts.

--

"You can open your eyes now," he whispered to the huddled mass clutching his body who he loved with all his heart.

Jane reluctantly pulled away from him, unsteadily moving backwards as though trying to slowly reassure herself that there was indeed solid ground beneath her feet. "That was..."

"I know," he said with a smile. "Flying with someone for the first time is never pleasant."

She returned his smile weakly. "For some reason I imagined it would be more like Superman and Lois Lane than, well...that."

He put his hand on her shoulder to steady her. "People don't realize how quickly we fly. It still affects people who are used to it sometimes."

She wasn't sure how to respond so she just waited for him to say something else.

He cleared his throat. "Anyway, the house is up ahead. I don't like to come right up to it. The guards and all that..."

Jane froze in shock as James pointed out the house. _Ha. House. It was like a gothic castle come to life...home to a tormented lord or a captive maiden. _"It's incredible," she said softly.

"I'm glad you like it". He led her up to the house where he unlocked the door and graciously held it open for her.

The interior of the house was just as magnificent as the exterior. A grand winding staircase presided over the entrance hall. The two halves of the staircase met at the top of the stairs at a landing which led to a closed door. Somehow Jane knew this had to be his room.

"Jane?"

She broke off from marveling at the unostentatious display of power and beauty in his home and remembered he was still standing beside her. Staring up into his gleaming dark eyes she wondered how she could have ever forgotten. Unable to think of anything to say, she simply placed her hand in his, allowing him to lead her up the stairs and past the closed door.

--

So close. Just give it a little more time. Much love, Cat.


	11. One Love That Has Possessed Me

Jane gasped as she entered the room. It wasn't the priceless artifacts or the huge array of books that first drew her attention nor the sumptuous furnishings and massive bed adorned with black silk sheets. No, it was the almost life-size painting hanging above his bed. "Is that…?"

"You?" he finished. "I sincerely hope so."

"When," she paused to run her tongue over her lips which seemed unusually dry. "When was it painted?"

"I painted that in 1920. It was the best of them, so I hung it over the bed," he answered.

"But…"

"But I didn't know you then?" he said, reading her mind. "My heart has always known you. I have other paintings downstairs as proof that I was not lying that first night."

She blushed. "In the painting, she isn't, I'm not, wearing anything," she pointed out.

He smiled. "I know. It's…uh…part of the reason why I prefer it the most."

"James…"

"Do you believe me now, sweetheart? I've always loved you. I've literally spent ages searching for you," he said, his voice vibrating with emotion.

"Yes," she said softly. "James, do you think you could show me your proof tomorrow?"

"Of course, darling." The possible implication of her words struck him as he looked into her heavy lidded eyes. "Tomorrow?"

She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm sure you could think of something more exciting for us to do tonight.

His heart began to beat faster. He smiled wickedly. "I dare say I could think of something," he said huskily as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed.

--

OK. Yes, I am cutting it off again. But after this point, no more. I'm serious. We are going to move into M territory. You have been warned. It usually takes me a week but we'll see how busy I am on Friday(Halloween).

Cross your fingers, cast a spell, SEND ME LOTS OF GOOD REVIEWS!!

Maybe you'll get a new chapter.

Much love, Cat.


	12. One Heart Ever Entreating

He laid her down on the bed gently, as though she were precious and fragile. His hand cradled her jaw as his lips brushed lightly against hers. "I love you," he murmured softly.

"I…it's not like we're Romeo and Juliet," she protested.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused but smiling amusedly.

"They at least spent one to three weeks together. All we've had is one night. This is only our second night together. I won't deny that I'm attracted to you and that I want this to happen. It feels right, but that doesn't mean that I love…"

He cut her off by placing his lips over hers.

Her head swam as she kissed him, her limbs losing strength and becoming weighted and useless, falling to her sides as though she had lost all muscle tone. His lips wandered down to her throat and her breath caught as she wondered whether he would drink from her. **Not yet my dear. **_Why not? _**You aren't ready. **_When will I be? _**I'll know. **_How will you know?_** You will let me know. **_What?_

He lifted his head. "Why do you think it so impossible that you could be in love with me? It is true that the star-crossed lovers of the bard shared more time together than we have done so far. But let me remind you that it only took one fateful night before their hearts were ensnared by the ties of love and they had no choice but to defy all but fate to find bliss," he pointed out.

"True," she said as she ran her tongue over her lips in a unconscious nervous gesture. "But you'll have to concede that Shakespeare was not kind to them and their story resulted in tragedy, not only for them but for those around them."

He smiled. "Life imitates art, my dear. It does not follow it to the letter."

"Still, I…"

James sighed then smiled again, resting his forehead against hers. "I shall let it go for now, my darling. Tonight, I shall accept what you give me." He brushed his lips over hers again. "I still think that you love me though," he breathed huskily before taking her lips in a deep kiss, drawing her bottom lip between his teeth for a moment before sweeping her underneath him and delving into the sweet, seductive taste of her mouth.

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Sorry. Sorry! Reading Hamlet and therefore thinking about Shakespeare. To tide you over, might I suggest checking out my other stories with mature content. Anyway, a little more development never hurt anybody. There are so many chapters I didn't realize until writing this that this is only their second night together. Or, at least, I had forgotten. Ah! No way that this would ever happen in real life. At least, not mine, I don't know about your lives.

This did not come on Halloween because I did not receive a satisfactory amount of reviews. PLEASE REVIEW!!! That is, if you want an update. Much love, Cat.


	13. So This is Love

He held most of his weight off of her, but the pressure of his body against every inch of hers was somehow comforting. "James," she moaned softly against his lips as she arched her back. He didn't feel cold at all. He felt warm and hard and...alive. The skin beneath her lips possessed a healthy tan and his pulse beat strongly against her fingertips. _His pulse!_ "You lied to me," she accused, pushing at his shoulders in an attempt to get out from underneath him.

"What?" he asked groggily, his lips still searching for hers.

"You have a pulse!"

"Your point being?" he snapped, his frustration finally reaching a poiling point. He immediately felt contrite at her hurt look. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. But of course I have a pulse."

"I thought..." she started.

He sighed. "Hell. Just because I'm a vampire, it doesn't mean I'm actually the living dead. That's an oxymoron. It is impossible for the dead to be living. Only God or whatever diving presence you might believe in could accomplish that. And if you don't believe in a higher power then the task is all the more impossible." He sat up and pulled her to sit beside him. "As with people who are close to death and revived with an electric shock in hospitals, I was wounded in battle and close to death when Gwendolyn revived me. She allowed me to drink from her in order to save my life. I'm still a man, Jane. I can still be injured, though I heal much faster. I still need to eat and sleep and breathe. My heart still beats...and I can still love," he said softly.

Jane caught herself before she asked who Gwendolyn was. She thought it over and found she didn't care. Whether or not she was letting her heart or her desires overcome her better judgment, she believed him. "I think I do love you," she whispered.

His eyes darkened but he waited for her to continue.

"I...James, I don't understand how...but still, I....to be honest it's a little frightening," she admitted.

He cradled her jaw with his hand. "I will cherish your love, _tresoro_, but I won't take anything you don't give willingly."

She murmured his name as she eased back against the bed and pulled him over her.

He kissed her passionately, his mouth ravaging hers in contrast to his hands which gently caressed her curves as though she were precious and fragile.

Jane didn't want to be handled as though she were made of glass. Her lips returned his kiss fervently. She wanted all of him, nothing held back. Pulling away from him with a soft groan, she pulled her dress over her head before resuming the kiss.

The feel of her against him, gloriously naked except for her insubstantial undergarments, made him crazed. He doubted she knew how much she affected him. If she did, if she knew how close he was to loosing his grip on his control, she would be too terrified to enjoy what he was doing. And that was definitely not what he wanted, he thought, as she shifted to settle her hips directly under his. Lord, if he weren't immortal, she would have surely killed him by now. He needed to feel her bare skin against his own. He broke off from the kiss only long enough to tear off his shirt, sending a few buttons flying, and unhook her bra, throwing both articles of clothing across the room as he kissed her again.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. _You feel incredible against me. _**I was just thinking the same thing. **_I don't want to wait any longer._

He lifted his head, laughing. "I've always been one to oblige a lady but I'm afraid you'll have to, sweetheart. I've waited too long for this to rush it. I love you, Jane," he murmured, planting gentle kisses down the length of her neck.

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I wrote the rest of the lovemaking scene but I haven't typed it yet as I don't know how much I like it. I wrote it in the middle of the night. Also, I have some work I need to do. Hope you enjoy reading what I have so far. Thanks for reviewing, now please continue to do so. PLEASE REVIEW!!! Much love, Cat.


	14. So This is Love, Mmmmm

Hello, my chickadees! Miss me? I'm sorry. I've just had a lot going on. Also, a few reviews made me a little sad (ahem, icekitty222) and I couldn't write for a while. Hope you enjoy the chapter. PLEASE REVIEW and tell me what you liked and didn't like. Also, check out my profile for my schedule of when I'll update in the future. Much love, Cat.

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She murmured his name, her eyes drifting shut, giving into his touch, the faint, masculine scent of lemon and sandalwood and sweat that clung to his skin. As his lips drifted down to her stomach she shifted against him, arching her back, her eyes still shut.

"Patience, _mon chou_. I've only just begun," he said, grinning up at her wickedly.

"Did you just call me a cabbage?" she asked only dimly aware of anything beyond the hand lightly tracing concentric circles around her navel.

"Would you prefer _mya morkovka_?" he teased.

"What?"

"Russian, my little carrot," he mumbled against her lips.

"What is it with you and food-related endearments?" she asked, laughing.

He pulled back. "Should I be offended? I don't think a woman has ever laughed in response to one of my kisses."

"Think of it more as joy than humor," she replied, cupping his jaw with her hand and bringing his lips back to hers.

"Think of the endearments as mere language rather than truth," he said, trailing kisses down her body again. "Or perhaps, it's that I find you delectable, _mi media naranja_. Or delicious, _meu docinho de coco_. Mmhmn, I find I must simply have another taste," he murmured.

"James!" she cried as he turned his attention to that most intimate part of her anatomy and slowly drove her towards insanity. Her protests died in her throat and soon she found her fingers clenching in his hair as she urged him on incoherently, desperate for relief from the coiling tension he had built up within her with his skillful mouth. She screamed his name brokenly as she found her release.

He lay down beside her looking smug and immensely pleased with himself. "Well?"

"Cessez de retarder, mon amour," she said huskily.

He sobered, his chest refusing to expand to allow him to breathe properly. "Are you sure?"

She kissed him sweetly. "I haven't a single doubt. Take a look for yourself," she invited.

He searched her mind and found nothing but love and desire. Giving into his deepest desires, he allowed himself to hope. **This time would be different. He had finally found her. It would work.**

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Yes, I know I'm cutting it off again. I need to. Don't you like what I've written? This takes time to write. Anyway, happy holidays!

As always, PLEASE REVIEW(with constructive criticism)

Much love, Cat.


	15. So This is What Makes Life Divine

If you check my profile, (**as you should because I update it regularly**), you will have seen a little message next to Charming Prince of Darkness in my schedule saying I'm planning a series. Well, your eyes did not deceive you. James is only the first. He is our knight in shining armor, as he revealed in an early chapter. Go on, look it up. I'll wait. Yes, James is from the Middle Ages. A time, in my mind, not of plague and witch-burning and all those horrible early experiments with medicine and torture, but of knights and ladies and chivalry and song. Look forward to learning about his blood brothers and blood sisters (**hint:** He also has a real sister and maybe a real brother or two depending on how much you all love James and/or the medieval period) and the mysterious Gwendolyn. These love stories will be taken from all time periods and all cultures. The vampires could be from France or Asia and have lived in 1520 or 1890. The stories could take place in 1460 or 2009. It all depends. Oh, and rest assured, I will constantly ground you in present-day regardless so through these stories you'll find out what happens to Jane and James and the other characters even after their stories end.

"But WAIT!" you must be thinking. What is wrong with you? We haven't finished this story yet. So we haven't...good point (person who I am supposedly addressing...don't judge me). Haha. Made myself laugh. That's half the battle. **You know if you'd leave me more constructive reviews, these updates wouldn't take so long. Thank you to darkroyal13 and everyone who takes the time to NOT YELL AT ME and to USE CORRECT GRAMMAR AND SPELLING when leaving reviews. **

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I was trying too hard. I just relaxed, no song, no over-the-top craziness, a bit of romance novel drivel in terms of language because I think this story can take it. I hope you like it and now we can move on with the story and finish it.

Please enjoy. PLEASE REVIEW!!! Much love, Cat.

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"I know you trust me and I want to share this experience with you in every way, but for that to happen I need you to relax. Can you do that for me, sweetheart?" he asked softly, his breath heating the sensitive skin at the base of her throat. He sensed that she was willing but read tension in every line of her body, knowing that nothing he could say would ease that tension. Very well. He was a patient man and would take the time to coax away her body's resistance. "Close your eyes, Jane."

She hesitated for a moment before allowing her eyes to drift shut.

For a moment he was mesmerized by the sight of her long but delicate lashes fanned out against her smooth skin, gently framed by the hollows of her eyes and soft curve of her cheeks. He instinctively knew that he would never tire of looking at her. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he laid his cheek gently against her shoulder. She shifted slightly but soon adjusted to his presence there, the warmth of his skin heating the exposed flesh of her torso which remained uncovered by the blankets.

He cupped one soft breast, cradling it in his hand gently and staying there motionless, allowing her to fully absorb each step he took. Lifting his head, he settled his lips over the perfect dusky tip, nuzzling it before drawing it into his mouth, sucking gently and swirling his tongue around it. She moaned helplessly in response to his slow seduction.

Smiling against her skin, he trailed kisses from that breast to its mate before continuing down to the soft curve of her stomach. For what seemed like an hour to Jane, he traced the line of her inner thigh and delved into the silken warmth that awaited his touch. Under his ministrations the coiling need built again until he removed his hand and settled over her, thrusting into her so suddenly she had no time to feel any pain. Her eyes flew open.

Jane expelled his name on a soft breath.

He looked down at her concernedly, but said nothing, waiting for her to elaborate. She did not, instead lifting her hand to cradle his jaw and kiss him lightly. It was all the response he needed. He began an easy rhythm, drawing her into it with him further and further until she thought she would expire from both pleasure and aching need. Then he shifted, inciting a completely different feeling than he had before. The sensation was indescribable. She clutched at his back, willing him to continue, unable to find the words to form coherent sentences to urge him on. He seemed to know what she wanted, grinning at her with a playful charm that would have lifted her heart if it hadn't already been leaping to supply her overtaxed body with enough oxygen to prevent her from fainting.

James watched her expression change, her breathing grow choppy, as that tension broke and thrilled as she screamed his name as she careened into pleasure. He bent his head and pierced her skin as the blood rushed back through the rest of her body, tasting her desire, her fulfillment, and finding his own.


	16. Cealaltă Jumătate

I didn't move the story to the M section. I just realized that. Oops! I didn't want those of you not on the alert list to not be able to find me, though. I'll leave it where it is unless I get complaints or you tell me it should be moved. Anyway... Now to get back to the damned plot. As always, PLEASE REVIEW!!! Much love, Cat.

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Jane arched her neck, examining the faint white marks around the two small holes at the base of her neck in the mirror. "I can barely see them," she noted.

He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Would you like to have to explain them to people? I would think you would be glad they aren't very visible."

"Of course, I am," she said quickly. "It's just...how can it have healed so quickly?"

"You're the one," he murmured.

"Could you try to be a little more vague?" she teased. "What do you mean?"

"Gwendolyn could do a much better job of explaining this. For the most part, like all human beings, we are different. No two of her 'children' are quite the same in their behavior or their abilities. The only exception to that are those linked by a blood bond. Gwendolyn created me and my sisters around the same time." His eyes grew cold for a moment. "After I was wounded, they thought I was dead. Gwendolyn hadn't refined her process and was far from having the strength she now possesses. It took her many months to transform me and then nurse me back to health without raising suspicion. You must understand that at this time, if anyone had discovered what she was doing, they would have probably burned her as a witch or a demon. My sisters, Anne and Jacquette, they had no one to protect them. I will never forgive myself for leaving them in danger. Anne was...attacked by a ruthless mercenary who had always been jealous of our family and especially of my good rapport with our commander. We had studied under the same man to fight for king and country. I became a knight while he eventually sought out a more lucrative means of making his way in the world."

"James," she whispered, cradling his jaw in her hand. She didn't know what to say, if she should even say anything to try and ease a hurt hundreds of years old.

Her touch seemed to offer him comfort, though. He held her hand to his face, taking a deep breath before continuing. "He tried to rape her. Anne was always the more fragile one. She was always so delicate, my mother used to say she was not of this world and the fairies had left her in our keeping so we might be blessed with the sight of her sweet face to brighten our mornings when the sun refused to peek out from behind the clouds. Jacquette defended her. She managed to find the two of them just when he had torn her dress down the front. She showed more mercy than I would have, only wounding him slightly before issuing a warning to him to stay away from our family before fleeing with Anne."

James laughed bitterly. "Jacquette discovered later that he had proposed marriage and when Anne rejected him, he tried to force himself upon her. The bastard was just trying to get a hold of our lands and our title. Our system of inheritance has always been an odd one. It isn't based on primogeniture but is actually passed down through the women my decree of the mad king whose mistress was the first countess of Aranshire."

"Aranshire?" asked Jane.

"I told you he was mad. He invented a title for her." James sighed. "Making a long story short, he made their lives a living hell until I returned. They had fallen ill from malnourishment as he had frightened everyone to such a great degree that few would sell them goods and they mostly subsisted off what they could grow in the gardens which were often destroyed in the middle of the night while they slept. I brought them to Gwendolyn, who transformed them."

"Then, they are still with you?" asked Jane.

"Yes, and no. They are still alive, but they choose to live elsewhere." He laughed slightly. "What was my point? Ah, yes. We are seekers the three of us. Our destinies are to find those we are meant to be with and to transform them. There is only one. Our cealaltă jumătate. A soul mate if you will. When that person is found the binding ritual links us by blood so we may produce the next generation of seekers. Otherwise we die out."

"But...you can't die, can you?" Jane asked, confused.

"No, we can't. But we are unable to produce children with anyone but that person and their bodies are unable to handle the transformation," he explained.

"Is that why it never worked with the others?" she asked.

"In part," he replied cupping the side of her face gently. "I'd also like to think that a part of me knew that they weren't the right one for me. That they were not you."

"James..."

"The marks prove it. Your body is receptive to the transformation or you would not have healed so quickly."

A sudden horrid thought struck her. "James...please tell me you haven't..."

"What, littered the countryside with the corpses women who were unable to handle being bitten? Darling..." he reprimanded, "you have a terrible habit of jumping to the worst possible conclusion. They bandaged the wound for a few days and covered it with scarves or necklaces until it healed. Honestly..."

"I'm sorry," she said apologetically. "I don't know why..."

"Mhmmn," he murmured into her neck. "You talk too much..."

"I do, do I?"

"Yes. Luckily I know of a cure for that."

"Do you?" she teased, arching her back as his lips wandered down her body to her navel.

The night was still young and he had no need of sleep. He spent the rest of the night proving it to her.

-----

I google translated "other half" as cealaltă jumătate in Romanian, so feel free to tell me if it's wrong.


	17. The Dream

A new chapter. Yay! Go check out Jacquette's Story. You can get to it through my profile page. As always, PLEASE REVIEW!!! Much love, Cat

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"You're smiling," teased Maria. "You've been smiling since you walked through the door. I take it things went well after I left last night?"

"It went fine," responded Jane evasively, continuing to tap away the keys of her computer.

"Listen, Jane," said Maria with a knowing smirk, "fine does not give a woman that kind of glow afterwards. He looked absolutely delicious when he swept in last night. Was he as spectacular as think he was?"

"Maria," she hissed.

Her friend only stood there, one hip leaning against her desk, arms folded, waiting patiently for her response.

"Better," Jane replied, her smile widening.

"You'll have to tell me about it during lunch. Let's stop at the coffee place around the block beforehand, though, I need the caffeine."

Jane looked up from the computer screen. "Sure. Late night?"

"No, it was the oddest thing. I slept well for once. I had the most incredible dream. Anyway, I'll tell you about it later..._after_ you tell me about your James," she insisted as she turned to go back to her office.

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Yes. I know. This is very short. Sorry about that. But look on the bright side, now you have time to go read Jacquette's Story.


	18. The Awakening

It took a plane ride to return me to the roots of this story…fairytales. The next step I was searching for was there all along. Hopefully, you'll enjoy my efforts. This isn't the end but we're getting fairly close to it.

As always, PLEASE REVIEW!!! Much love, Cat

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Jane awoke. Or at least she thought she woke up. It was the strangest sensation, one minute she had been sitting at her desk, something that had obviously been a dream, but aside from a conscious awareness of her surroundings she couldn't find a difference between dreaming and the state she was currently in. She couldn't move. She couldn't lift a finger or open her eyes. Her mind was quickly being overtaken by panic but her stomach didn't tighten, her breathing didn't quicken. Trying desperately to get a handle on the situation, she began to reason with herself.

_Obviously I'm not dead, I can feel my chest rising and falling…I'm breathing. Dead people don't breathe. But then, why can't I move? Am I paralyzed? _It was as though she was trapped inside the shell that was her body, her mind and her essence encased in a dormant container while they existed separately, trapped within it. Anxiety was overwhelming her but the steady rhythm of her breathing never changed. _What am I supposed to do now? Stupid body, wake up! Can't you tell that something's wrong? Move! Stand! Do something! _Irrationally she missed the little voice in her head which she assumed could only speak up when she was conscious.

She gathered herself and tried to leap up, but nothing happened. She willed her brain to send signals to her nerves to move even one muscle but she contained to lay still.

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"I really do hate these rituals," remarked Gwendolyn with a sigh.

A tall, distinguished looking man standing behind her placed his hands around her shoulders comfortingly and dropped a kiss on the side of her head. "I know, my love."

"Will she be alright?" asked James, staring into the mirror which reflected the sight of Jane lying in his bed, looking so peaceful it was hard to believe it when Gwendolyn announced she had woken and begun the process.

"She is fine and will remain so," Gwendolyn replied in her soft, bell-like voice. "You can do nothing for her right now but hope that her love for you can bring her through the transformation. We must simply watch the brambles and wait," she told him, referring to the circle of thorns that had been fashioned into a necklace and wrapped around Jane's neck. They would not hurt her but if and when the time came they would change as she did and signify her return to consciousness in a new form. "You know that the worst that may happen is she will prove unable at this point. You may always try again, later when she assumes another…"

"No," James interrupted. "I…it has to work. This time, it will work. I just know."

-----

_Will I be stuck this way forever? How am I ever supposed to even let anyone know what's wrong with me? How am I supposed to tell them I'm still in here? How can I tell James that I'm sure now that I love him? When did I decide that? I think I'm starting to lose my mind in here. But…no, I do, however irrational. _She suddenly pictured his face and calm spread through her, filling both her physical and ethereal forms. Somehow, knowing that he was out there, she realized there was nothing to worry about. He would find a way to get her out. She normally wasn't the type of girl to just wait around, but she knew that somehow he would understand that something was wrong, that maybe she could relate a message to him, that he would never just let her go.

Jane no longer felt like she was floating around in empty space. She felt grounded in her body as opposed to detached from it and searching for a means of escape. The image of his face her memory had provided was smiling. She had never seen such joy in another being. She would smile in response if she could move her facial muscles. Stunned for a moment, she realized moments later that she was smiling. She could smile. Then that meant she could also…she blinked. She could blink! It wasn't an image provided by her mind, her eyes were open! "James!" she cried, throwing her arms around her and burying her face in his shoulder and she felt his arms wrap around her almost immediately.

"You've done it, darling," he whispered huskily.

She hadn't the slightest idea what he was talking about but he felt warm and real and she had no intention of releasing him, at least for the moment. Shaken but relieved she breathed in the scent of his hair and let him draw her to her feet and dance her slowly around the room, humming softly and holding her close.


	19. The Understanding

Hi, everyone. Sorry it's taken me so long to come up with an update. I go in and out of periods of loving and hating this story. I'm trying to work my way back to loving it right now. Hopefully, you'll join me. I think we can have some fun with Jacquette's Story.

xxxxx

Thank you to my beta, **Bards of Bedlam **

for indulging my insane perfectionism and obsessive nature.

xxxxx

As always,

PLEASE REVIEW!

Much love, Cat

xxxxx

When he'd knocked on the door of the room she'd been assigned to, she'd shyly put her hand in his only to have to cling on for dear life as he barreled through the hallways of his labyrinthine house. James had long legs to support his tall frame. Let those long legs start striding forcefully and her comparatively much shorter ones had to sprint like an excitable puppy to keep up. She began to breathe more heavily trying to maintain his hurried pace.

Finally, Jane had had enough. "Stop. Wait." She tugged on his arm. He barely noticed. She tried to pull her hand from his but he only held on tighter, probably thinking her grasp was slipping. He was practically dragging her along behind him at this point. "Wait. Wait, wait, wait!" She was almost screaming by the end, and he immediately turned to look at her worriedly, _and more than a little like she was a crazy person_. "What is it, darling?" he asked.

_Well, if he was going to start acting all rational... _Having finally gotten his attention she didn't know what she wanted to say other than... "Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise," he said with a slightly mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I don't like surprises." That hadn't come out the way she had meant it to. She had sounded like a petulant child. Seeing the smile cross his face, she knew he'd come to the same conclusion.

"I think you'll like this one," he replied simply.

Already seeing the futility of continuing the argument, she changed tactics. "Well, what happened yesterday?" she asked finally remembering the questions that had been plaguing her since yesterday afternoon when she hadn't been able to find anyone who would respond to her. Besides, he looked eager to start propelling her to their destination again and she wanted to put that off for as long as possible.

"Yesterday?"

"Why couldn't I get up? I felt like I was in a comatose state. And why did you put those flowers around my neck?" The questions shot out at a rapid fire pace as she recalled the panic that had overtaken her and was threatening to consume her again.

"Sweetheart, that was four days ago."

"Four days?" she repeatedly weakly.

"I thought you knew." He frowned. It seemed as if he would say something, but he didn't, the frown disappearing as he launched into an explanation. It's a custom…an experiment, I guess you'd call it. Ah, it's tradition. The branches are placed around the ah, prospective mate…ah, partner's neck and if they bloom within three days it signifies that the wearer is truly the _cealaltă jumătate. _The ability to break free of the…coma, as you put it, reflects the unique ability of a _cealaltă jumătate_ to reach his or her love across any distance, any plane of space or time."

"Oh," she said, trying to mimic his tone and pretend that all sounded completely logical. "But you said that was four days ago."

"You were asleep for a few days after. I gave you time recover instead of waking you."

"Right…" she murmured. "What if I failed?"

He seemed surprised by the question and dropped his gaze for a moment before answering. "But you didn't."

"But what if I had?"

"You would have been fine. The effect of the sleep would have worn off after those three days. You would have gone back home and…" he broke off and smiled at her as if he wanted to make her forget what he had been about to say.

"But you wouldn't still be talking to me right now. You wouldn't want..."

"But you didn't fail," he said, gently taking her chin in his hand and kissing her lightly in a way that she was sure was meant to be reassuring.

A tall, regal woman with a wealth of inky black hair tied back in a thick braid came striding towards them in a more feminine mimicry of James' walk. "Well?" she prompted. "Are you planning on moving anytime soon or are you simply going to loiter in this hallway all day and allow dust to gather on you? I can't believe that I had to come get you. Everything's been arranged. I know you like to leave things until the last possible moment but this is ridiculous. Trust you to be late to your own wedding, James."

"You're getting married," Jane said dully, trying to keep the horror from her voice.

"Yes," he said, looking past her and shooting a dark look over her head at the elegant woman who was tapping her foot impatiently with her arms akimbo.

"To whom?" she asked as jealousy and confusion warred in her brain for supremacy.

"To you, silly," he quickly interjected, reading the expressions on her face.

"To me?" _There came the confusion and shock again._

"Not if you two don't hurry it up," the woman standing behind her said exasperatedly.

Jane had forgotten she was still there. _He couldn't be marrying this woman, could he?_

He smiled at them as if he enjoyed their agitation. Turning back to the elegant creature wearing a forbidding frown, he moved to her side and draped an arm over her shoulders. "Jane, allow me to introduce my sister, Jacquette".

"A pleasure, she mumbled numbly. "James, what do you mean _I'm_ getting married to you?"

"Come with me."

"But..." she tried to protest but it appeared as though she'd held off the game of "drag Jane down the hallway" for as long as possible. She would have told him off, would have told him just what she thought of him manhandling her if she had breath enough to speak.

He led her down two more long corridors to a large courtyard where there was...

"Holy mother of..."

xxxxx

I know. I'm awful with the cliffhangers. But at least it might inspire you to…

PLEASE REVIEW!

Much love, Cat


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